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A YouTube star was left gobsmacked at the cost of a fairly basic dinner in what is reputed to be the continent’s most expensive city when he visited a chain of the 7-Eleven convenience store

There are a number of European cities that have a reputation for being the most expensive cities in Europe. And certainly the prices of some basic items backs up that claim where one particular YouTuber visited.

YouTube content creator Ed Chapman set off for Oslo, Norway to find out for himself, and was stunned to find the huge cost of a basic meal at a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Ed’s fact-finding mission started badly when a train from the airport to the city centre left literally seconds after he bought his £9 ticket. That left him with time to kill, so he went for a pit stop at Danish chain Joe and the Juice.

There, he explained on his YouTube channel, a medium milkshake and a small pot of yogurt and granola set him back just over £13. There was better news when Ed arrived at his £140-a-night three-star hotel, which he said was a good deal plusher than several other three-star establishments he’d stayed in previously.

Admiring his businesslike-looking desk he said: “For a three-star hotel, this is looking pretty good.” While the view out of his hotel room window was nothing to write home about, the “view of a wonderful metallic pipe and some stained glass windows” could have been worse, he added.

The following morning saw another impressive performance from his hotel: “Absolutely smashed breakfast by the way,” he enthused. “Lovely little spread for a three-star.”

But venturing outside, Ed was faced with some dizzying expenses. A hot dog at the city’s Christmas market cost him £7.30. The sausage was, he admitted, a cut above the average but it was undeniably pricey.

Just the chance of a simple bar of chocolate ended up costing him £3.57 when he tried his luck at a roulette game that had a Daim bar as a prize, Sadly, his number didn’t come up and he left the stall empty-handed.

After taking in the sights, including some very impressive ice-skating by the locals, Ed decided to get himself a cocktail. His vodka-and-cranberry concoction, called a woo-woo, set him back just under £11. While not cheap, the drink was “gorgeous,” he said. “Not too tangy on the cranberry.”

While Ed splashed out £23 on a classically Scandinavian sauna, and then just under £12 on a museum visit that included fewer viking artefacts that ne’d hoped for – but made up for it some truly grisly human skulls, most of his holiday budget went on food.

While you might think £21 would be enough to get a decent meal, Ed’s supper from 7-Eleven was a pretty basic affair. Surveying his chicken caesar wrap, pesto salad bottles of water and a Norwegian Kit-Kat, he said: “I’m not quite sure how I spent £21 here.”

He added, though, that Norway’s answer to the Kit-Kat was a cut above, with a “solidity” that gave it an air of quality. He theorised that it was probably healthier than the British equivalent too: everything Scandinavian is healthy. There’s not a single fat person here.”

In conclusion, Ed said, Oslo probably isn’t the most expensive city in Europe. He said it probably came second to Zurich. “However,” he added, “it is expensive. Just not as expensive as Zurich.”

To celebrate her last show with Strictly Come Dancing, the cast surprised host Claudia Winkleman with a touching tribute that left her screaming as she struggled to open the final vote

Claudia Winkleman was left screaming after she was surprised with a touching tribute from the Strictly Come Dancing cast. As she informed audiences that the final vote of the season was open, she was shocked to see several dancers had donned replicas of the blazer she was wearing and wigs that looked exactly like her hair.

The host, who announced in September that she would be leaving the show after over a decade, screamed “No way!” when she noticed that not only had the dancers dressed up like her, but notoriously grumpy judge Craig Revel Horwood had as well. He remained stony faced as he stared at the camera from behind the fringe, but Claudia still reacted with utter joy.

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Claudia kept covering her mouth, laughing and screaming as she realised what was going on. It was the most emotional she had been about her exit so far, as Claudia and Tess Daly, who is also leaving the show, both seemed to choose not to address their exit at the start of the show and instead focus on the dancers.

But this did not stop Claudia from making a statement with her final show. She herself had made a tribute to prior host of the show during the series by wearing a blazer with the words “Keep dancing” written on the back.

The words were the catchphrase of original host Bruce Forsyth. Claudia took over as a primary host for Bruce in 2014, co-hosting with Tess when he stepped down.

Elsewhere in the show, Claudia pretended she and Tess had decided to do a showdance. Though this was not an explicit joke about them leaving, when Tess turned down the opportunity to dance, Claudia jokingly said to the male dancers that had accompanied her to the dancefloor: “Apparently tonight is all about the finalists.”

It came as a surprise to many when Tess and Claudia announced that they would be stepping down from the show after over ten years on it. The pair made the announcement via Instagram.

In a joint statement, they said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.

“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.”

Taking to Instagram again, Tess and Claudia made a low-key goodbye to the show via another post. In this one, they shared a series of images from backstage, including one that showed off Claudia’s blazer. They captioned the post: “You better believe we’re gonna keep dancing.”

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The singer described one moment that it all went wrong during a show

The singer Taylor Swift has recalled suffering a horrific injury during her ambitious Eras Tour that left her skin ‘flapping off’.

Her admission came during the latest episode of her new doc-series releasing on Disney Plus. The End of an Era is a 6-episode documentary series chronicling the creation, influence, and behind-the-scenes workings of the mega-popular artist’s The Eras Tour.

It offers an intimate glimpse into Taylor’s world as her tour dominated headlines and delighted supporters globally. Two episodes have been releasing weekly starting with last week’s double premiere.

Fans have already been treated to plenty of behind the scenes secrets, including emotional moments. They include the singer rewarding her team with bonus payments for their efforts. Also the pop star broke her silence regarding the tragic Southport attacks for the first time.

Unsurprisingly, the series has proven to be a huge hit with fans. Taylor has even given them an early Christmas gift as it was recently revealed that the two final episodes will now release earlier than originally planned, on December 23.

The latest episodes demonstrated the physical effort needed for Taylor and her team to pull off the Eras show. She is seen rehearsing extensively with plenty of time also spent working out in a personal gym so she can perform all the dances and moves to the best of her ability.

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However, even with all this preparation, sometimes things don’t go quite as planned. Taylor reveals that she suffered a horrendous injury during a show in Texas back in April 2023.

During the show, she tripped and cut her hand open during a costume change. Explaining the incident, she says: “I remember I was running from the Evermore era, and I tripped over the hem of my dress. Bust my knee. I skid the palm of my hand off. Hobble into the quick-change room, blood’s coming down my hand.”

Somehow, she still managed to make her change, which is often timed to take as much as 39 seconds, and into the next item which happens to be her Reputation body suit. But she adds that a piece of her skin was “flapping off.”

She added: “I just pull it off. More blood. They don’t have a Band-Aid back there.” Recreating her movements, she proudly concludes: “Wasn’t late. Wasn’t late for the intro of that song.”

While the incident or injury was not publicly mentioned, it didn’t take long for Swifties to noticed. Taylor adds: “”The fans noticed it a couple of days later, they’re like, ‘Oh, her palm’s gone.’ I was like, ‘I am not acknowledging this. What? Nothing’s wrong, it’s always been like that.'”

Taylor Swift: The End of An Era is streaming on Disney Plus.

REALITY TV star Sam Thompson has opened up about his painful split from Zara McDermott and why the end of their romance left him seeking therapy.

Fans of the couple were left shocked when Sam and Zara abruptly ended their five-year romance in January of this year.

Zara quickly moved on with One Direction heartthrob Louis Tomlinson, but Sam has now admitted he was left struggling in the aftermath of the break-up.

Insisting he neglected himself amid the pain of the break-up, he suggested he was left struggling more than people realised.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Sam said: “Look, I can’t speak about Zara out of politeness, and I respect that we’ve both kept it that way.

“But I don’t know one person who enjoys going through a break-up. I needed therapy to help me process that change in my life.

Read More on Sam Thompson

moving on

Zara McDermott shares cosy selfie with 1D’s Louis as ex Sam gets new girlfriend

DATE NIGHT

Sam Thompson cosies up to new model girlfriend Talitha Balinska on night out

“I worked so hard last year, I neglected friends and family, even myself a bit.”

Sam continued: “One of the big takeaways was to give myself some time, otherwise the danger is you get ill.

“We like to think we’re superheroes but then we burn out.”

Sam was linked to Love Island star Samie Elishi after they were spotted snogging in the street after it was revealed that Zara had been secretly romancing Louis.

But he has now admitted he won’t date anyone unless he sees it going far into his future.

He added: “I’d love to have kids and I refuse to date unless I can see a long-term future in it.”

Sam is now dating DJ and model Talitha Balinska, whom he first met on a photoshoot in 2023.

They reconnected earlier this year after he invited her to be his special guest at his Staying Relevant live show with Pete Wicks at the O2 Arena.

Just days ago, Sam flaunted her online for the very first time.

Sam announced at the beginning of December that he and Talitha had made things “official”.

Speaking to his best pal Pete Wicks on their Staying Relevant podcast, Sam confirmed they had taken their romance to the next level.

He said excitedly: “I’ve got a girlfriend. I’ve got a girlfriend!”

While I continue on my journey to achieve Christmas nirvana by exploring the plethora of festive markets around Great Britain, there’s one beloved Christmas market that I’m just not a fan of.

Going to Christmas markets is like an Olympic sport, and I, for one, am a self-proclaimed gold medallist.

I tend to find myself coming alive in the last two months of the year, as my hot chocolate-addled brain looks for its next fix complemented by Christmas lights and cheesy music. As Christmas chaos tightens its vice-like grip around unsuspecting UK residents, scores of us find ourselves Googling the million-dollar question: ‘Best Christmas markets in the UK?’

While I continue on my journey to achieve Christmas nirvana by exploring the plethora of festive markets around Great Britain, there’s one beloved Christmas market that I’m just not a fan of. Let’s just say — I’ve never met a Christmas market I didn’t like. Till I met the Southbank Christmas Market, that is.

While ‘absolutely hated’ is a strong phrase, ‘generally disappointed’ is not. And that’s how I felt about London’s Southbank Centre Winter Market. After hearing loads of complimentary things about it from my friends (and the internet) for ages, I decided to bundle up one fine Thursday evening and head on over to the ‘magical Christmas market on the River Thames’.

When I say the market ended before it started, I am not exaggerating. Southbank’s famed Christmas market had some seven odd stalls when I last visited (okay yes, I am exaggerating — it’s called a creative licence, look it up). And no, I refuse to add the scores of restaurants down the road — which earnestly dress themselves up in festive cheer and provide a jolly good time to visitors — to the count. I’m talking about the actual Southbank Christmas market, which actually is really quite tiny. I visited the market for the first (and last) time with my partner and our friend — all of us popping our Southbank Christmas Market cherry at the same time — and, as it goes with every ‘first-time’ virginity-losing story, we were all left wondering: is this it?

Having made the (never-ending) trek from East London, upon arriving, we felt like we were being Punk’d. Where were the rows of food and drink stalls? The gamut of overpriced souvenirs designed to entrap the unsuspecting tourist? The tat passing off as ‘must-haves’ this fashion cycle? It felt like someone clocked all the happiness Christmas markets brought to seasonally depressed individuals — and decided to suck every drop of joy straight out of them.

Because what’s the point of setting up a Christmas market if you can’t cause customers utter confusion over which bratwurst stall to go for? Why couldn’t I get four different shops selling the exact same patterned ceramic bowl and evil eye hangings at grossly varying price points? What is the point of this life, if I don’t buy mulled wine from 5 different stalls for a thousand million pounds each, as I happily hand them over all of my life’s savings?

There’s no point. And that’s why you won’t see me returning to the Southbank Christmas Market anytime soon. Except this Friday, because a spirited discussion with my colleagues before writing this article has already convinced me that I need to give it another shot (of overpriced Baileys, woohoo).

Courtney Bardell, 25, said the family-of-five faced two-hour waits for rides as well as pushing and shoving in crowds after forking out over £270 to visit London’s Winter Wonderland

A young girl was left in tears after an exhausted Santa “refused her entry” to his Grotto during a “disappointing” visit to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, her mum has claimed.

Mother-of-three Courtney Bardell, 25, claims her children were “upset” following a disastrous outing to the popular London market last Saturday (12). She said the family-of-five endured two-hour queues for rides alongside aggressive jostling in crowds after spending over £270 on travel, attraction passes, and food.

However, the event’s organisers have said that admission to see Father Christmas is paused at ‘peak times’, and that the grotto’s workers also have scheduled breaks.

The stay-at-home mum, who attended with partner Connor, 26, and daughters Harlie-Mae, six, Lucia, four, and Essie, one, insists she won’t be returning to the festive event. Courtney, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, said: “I expected it to be busy but I didn’t expect it to be as busy as it was.”

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“I expected them (the kids) to see Santa and get a gift from Santa. It was advertised that Santa’s Grotto would be open until 6pm but we got there at about 3pm and the staff said ‘Santa’s had enough’. Harlie-Mae started crying because she wanted to see Santa. You could see through the glass that other children were getting to see him.”

Courtney said that her family arrived at 2pm and were instantly taken aback by the sheer volume of visitors.

She added: “The kids couldn’t even walk without getting pushed over. My six-year-old was asking me after half an hour ‘when are we going home?’. You also get advertised a meal which we assumed would be in a sit-down restaurant but there weren’t enough tables at all, so you’re getting pushed while you’re trying to eat.”

Courtney has since shelled out £35 to take the children to a local grotto after Harlie-Mae labelled her day at Winter Wonderland as “rubbish”.

“We’ll probably just go somewhere local next time”, she added. “It’ll save the disappointment.”

In a statement from Winter Wonderland, a spokesperson said: “Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s priority is the safety of all our visitors. To manage visitor flow, we operate specific entry times and a ticketing system to help guests enjoy the event comfortably.

“We understand there can be queues during particularly busy periods and work to clear these as quickly as possible. Santa’s Grotto operates with scheduled breaks, and admissions may be paused at peak times.”

Courtney isn’t the only one to be left disappointed by her Winter Wonderland experience this year. A woman who ordered a hot chocolate at the Hyde Park attraction was left floored by the price, and took to TikTok to show how she managed to spend £70 on food and drink during her trip.

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However, there are cheaper alternatives such as Christmas markets in Europe. The cheapest Christmas market in Europe was recently revealed as Poznan in Poland, which is just a two hour flight from the UK. Visitors can book hotel rooms for as little as £30 a night, and pints are about £2 in this underrated city.

Another option closer to home is Newcastle Christmas Market, recently named one of the best in the UK by readers of Which? It was recently praised for having a large number of independent traders, the majority of them being local to Newcastle, and groups can pre-book igloos in the city centre and enjoy food and drink service with somewhere to shelter.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Australia have opted against recalling batter Usman Khawaja for the vital third Ashes Test – a match Ben Stokes has called the most important game in his time as England captain.

England, 2-0 down after defeats in the first two Tests, must win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn alive.

Defeat would mean a fourth successive series loss in Australia, extend England’s run without winning the Ashes to at least 12 years and heap significant pressure on the tourists’ management.

The positions of Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key would all come under significant scrutiny.

“Throughout my career I’ve been involved in quite a few big moments. This is another one and I’m really, really looking forward to it,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“I’ve enjoyed the build-up, I’ve enjoyed the pressure of what this game means. As it’s come closer and closer, it’s become a lot easier. That’s how I deal with big things and big moments – look at it front on, take it on and deal with all the emotions that come with it.

“What else are you supposed to do? Don’t let the moment overcome me or feel like it’s going to control me. I’ll go out, put all that stuff to one side and do what I need to do in every situation I get put in, and try my absolute best.”

Pat Cummins will return to lead Australia after missing the first two Tests as he recovered from a back problem.

Pace bowler Cummins and off-spinner Nathan Lyon are added to the Australia team that won the second Test in Brisbane, replacing Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.

It means no return for opener Khawaja, who missed the Test at the Gabba because of back spasms. Khawaja turns 39 on Thursday and may have played the last match of an 85-Test career.

Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue as the opening partnership

Australia were 2-0 ahead in the last Ashes in the UK in 2023, only for England to fight back to draw 2-2.

Cummins said his team have learned a “few lessons” from that experience and was also adamant he is fit enough to bowl without restrictions in Adelaide.

The 32-year-old has not played since the tour of West Indies in July after scans detected the back issue.

Match fitness could be crucial in the high temperatures that are forecast for when the match starts on Wednesday (23:30 GMT Tuesday).

“I had 16 weeks completely off bowling, made sure the bone heals well and from there it’s ramping up,” said Cummins.

“Normally you ramp up over maybe three or four months, but that would have meant missing the Ashes.

“We set on a pretty aggressive plan to get up in six or seven weeks. I haven’t had any hiccups. I’m feeling great, probably better than I would have thought. The back has healed well, so, here we are.”

A This Morning star has given birth and shared sweet photos of the baby

A beloved star on This Morning has revealed the exciting news that she has welcomed her first baby.

TV chef Poppy O’Toole, also known as the Potato Queen, first joined the ITV series a few years back and has made countless appearances to cook up a feast on the show.

This year though, she confirmed she was pregnant with her first baby, just months after getting married to her partner of 15 years Tom Shattock.

Since then, an excited Poppy has been keeping her thousands of online fans updated on her pregnancy journey. And on Saturday (December 13) Poppy revealed she recently welcomed a baby daughter.

Taking to her Instagram, the TV star shared several photos of her posing with her new baby in front of a Christmas tree. She captioned the post: “The baby potato arrived last week and she is doing amazingly. Thanks for all the love and messages.”

As expected, fans and co-stars rushed to the comments section to send their well-wishes. ITV and Lorraine star Dr Amir Khan penned: “Huge congratulations.”

Gordon Ramsay also wrote: “Congratulations to you both sending lots of love from all the Ramsays.” Fellow chef John Torode gushed: “Congratulations.. so bloody wonderful.”

Meanwhile, one fan declared: “Congratulations!!!!! Wishing you so much love and happiness.” Another followed chimed in: “Congratulations to you both! Wonderful news and lovely little squishy Potato tot cuddles. Have the best Christmas.”

Earlier this year, Poppy revealed she married her partner. However, talking about their special day on social media at the time, she admitted it was an “unconventional” day, as they failed to give at least 29 days’ notice before the ceremony.

Failing to give the required notice of marriage can prevent a wedding from taking place on the intended date. If couples fail to give 29 days notice, the ceremony may need to be rescheduled, and additional fees may be incurred for rebooking.

In the end, the couple took care of all the “official stuff” in Redditch, not forgetting to take a series of snaps outside the registry office. Despite it not being a traditional day, it didn’t dampen Poppy’s spirits, as she took to Instagram to share in the joyous news.

This Morning airs Monday to Friday at 10am on ITV1.

Shirley Ballas has admitted that she has had her fair share of sleepless nights after this year’s season of Strictly took an unexpected turn when Lewis Cope was eliminated

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has admitted she was left wide awake all night after Lewis Cope’s emotional exit from the competition.

While on BBC spin-off show It Takes Two, Shirley opened up to host Fleur East about the toll this stage of the competition has taken on her, especially as the remaining couples edge closer to the final.

When Fleur asked how she was feeling with the semi-final less than 24 hours away, Shirley replied sombrely: “Well I didn’t sleep yesterday, I didn’t sleep when Lewis got eliminated and I probably won’t sleep tonight because you never know where the show is going to go at the moment.”

She went on to explain just how unpredictable this year’s contest has become, adding: “It is not set and it could be anyone who goes home and anyone who can win, so it will be very interesting tomorrow.”

Lewis, who is best known to viewers for his role on Emmerdale, was eliminated last week after going head-to-head with Love Island star Amber Davies in the dreaded dance-off.

Many fans were devastated to see him leave just before the semi-finals. But Lewis spoke fondly of his time on Strictly after his exit, saying: “It’s been more than I could have ever wished for. If someone would have said that I’d have done 11 weeks on the show at the beginning, I’d have been over the moon and snap their hand off.”

He went on to thank the show and his professional partner Katya Jones, telling her: “You’ve literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher, and yeah, I couldn’t imagine it with anybody else.”

An emotional Katya returned the praise, calling Lewis one of the most memorable contestants the show has seen. “You will be remembered as one of, if not, the best male celebrity we’ve ever had on the show,” she said, adding that he would also be remembered for being “an incredible person”.

Away from the ballroom, Lewis’s girlfriend Rachel Lopez also spoke out following his exit, hitting back at viewers’ claims that he had an unfair advantage due to his musical theatre background.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, she wrote: “What most people never saw was the pressure you carried, especially with people assuming you would walk in as a trained dancer (which you absolutely weren’t!).”

Rachel praised Lewis for handling the criticism he received with grace, adding: “The heartbreak isn’t a sign you have failed, it just shows how much courage you had.”

On It Takes Two Shirley went on to offer some quick advice to the remaining couples ahead of the semi-final, encouraging Amber and Nikita to “bend knees and have a lot of fun,” while calling for more “connection and partnering” from some of the other contestants.

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